Right Under the Royal Nose
by Hatstand
Summary: AU. Posing as the Prince's servant in order to steal his keys when you're a warlock might not seem like the best idea. Unfortunately, Merlin doesn't have much choice; he has a vengeful sorceress on his tail and his only hope is to find and free Kilgharrah
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin or any of its characters or dialogue. They belong to the BBC.**

**Prologue**

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><p><em>Let me tell you- life is rarely easy. Every day you struggle to find food, or to care for those close to you, or to make the right decision. Perhaps that's what life is: not always getting it right. I can think of a couple of mistakes I've made; a couple of things I could have done better. But what if it's the universe that's making the mistake? What if suddenly you can feel everything you've ever known slipping through your fingers? I never used to believe in destiny. Now I'm starting to wish it would just leave me alone.<em>

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><p>Merlin stared through the trees. The wind was gentle and the sun fell through the leaves casting a dappled pattern on the forest floor. With a gentle smile, he waved a hand at the small fire that was smouldering at his feet.<p>

"_Dracon, beride tha heofinan."_

His eyes lit up gold for a second and the smoke billowed before forming into a majestic dragon. The dragon roared and flapped his wings a few times before dissolving back into the air.

"Very good."

Merlin didn't have to turn to see who had spoken.

"Thank you, father, but I have a lot to learn."

Balinor sat down on the rock next to his son. "Indeed you do," he agreed. He paused for a moment before continuing. "The Druids are passing through this part of the forest. Perhaps it would be beneficial to your education to pay them a visit."

Merlin laughed. "What can they possibly teach me that you can't?"

Balinor smiled gently. "The Druids are a powerful people. There is much that can be learned from them."

"Alright," Merlin conceded, "I'll go see them once mother returns from Ealdor."

Balinor shook his head. "The Druids will not stay long; if you wait too long you might miss them."

Merlin cocked an eyebrow. "Are you trying to get rid of me?" he asked jokingly.

"Well how often do I get the chance to have the cave to myself?" Balinor replied with a chuckle. "I should jump at the chance to enjoy all the finest that the Cenrid's kingdom has to offer in dank, lonely caves without my beloved family breathing down my neck."

Merlin grinned. "Well, seeing as you're so eager to get rid of me..."

"Go enjoy yourself," Balinor ordered. "I'll be fine here by myself in this deserted forest."

"I'll see you this evening," Merlin laughed as he headed off.

"That way," Balinor called, pointing in the other direction.

"I knew that," said Merlin, hurriedly changing his course.

"Take your time," Balinor called to his son's retreating figure. He added to himself, "I wouldn't wan't you to be around when _she _shows up.

The moon was starting to rise in the sky when Balinor heard the trees stir. It was the only sign that she was here.

"Good evening, Dragon Lord." Her voice was cold, reflecting perfectly her frozen heart.

"Nimueh," Balinor acknowledged.

"It's been too long," said Nimueh, slowly circling the small camp.

Balinor was silent. He closed his eyes, the action seeming to reflect his weariness. In actuality the gesture was designed to hide the flash of gold that was the only outwards sign of the spell had just activated. He didn't want any interruptions.

"And what a life you have led," she continued. Balinor's eyes flicked back to her face. "How is it that you are able to continue your happy, ignorant existence knowing that it was you who led Uther to my sisters?" She spat out the King's name like it was some sort of disease.

"I had no part in the raid on the Isle of the Blessed," Balinor stated calmly.

"Was it not the Dragon Lords who betrayed us?" Nimueh hissed. "The dragons and their masters are a damned race and have been ever since they led Uther to our sanctuary."

"You killed his wife," Balinor said angrily. "Uther had good reason to act as he did."

"He knew what would happen!" Nimueh yelled. "It's the way of the universe; a life for a life!" She cut herself short, seeming to consider something. "A life for a life..." she muttered.

Balinor didn't like the direction this conversation was taking.

Nimueh's smile was enough to make his blood run cold. "Yes. You took my family from me, now I'll take yours."

Balinor felt his heart drop through his stomach.

"There's your wife," she mused, "but she would be easy prey. It hardly seems worth the effort." Her smile grew. "You have a son too, don't you?"

"Don't you dare lay a finger on him-"

"Just think; the last of the Dragon Lords. Fine quarry if I do say so myself... But before I think about him, I have you to worry about." She smiled evilly. "I want him to be as I am; alone and on the run."

"Merlin will never be alone," Balinor declared confidently. Out of the corner of his eye, he glimpsed a flicker in the air. His spell was working. It also told him that he had an audience. Praying that he was correct as to the nature of his onlooker, Balinor continued.

"Merlin will never be alone," he repeated. "There will always be help for him if he knows where to look. With me gone, he would go to Camelot and seek out Kilgharrah."

"Another Dragon Lord?" Nimueh demanded. "Impossible! Uther wiped them out! Besides, it does not matter. The dragons are extinct and without them the Dragon Lords are nothing more than an bunch of outdated, overrated sorcerers."

Balinor merely shrugged. He glanced at the shimmer between the trees. It was still there.

"You have been foolish, Dragon Lord," said Nimueh patronizingly. "Whatever hope _Merlin _had of finding this man, it ended here. As shall you. _Svelt, Balinor."_

Balinor crumpled to the ground. He couldn't feel the pain, he couldn't feel _anything._The last thing he saw before his eyes drifted closed was the flicker in the air. It was more frantic than ever.

Despite his predicament, Balinor smiled. _Go on, Merlin, _he encouraged silently, _you know what to do. You have a great destiny ahead of you. I have seen enough of you to know that you will make me proud._

Merlin pounded helplessly against the magical barrier as he watched the light fade from his father's eyes. The barrier faded and Merlin fell to his knees. His father wouldn't have let the spell go like that; his father was dead.

Silent tears welled up in his eyes. The woman in the red dress stood triumphantly over his father's body for a moment before muttering a spell. Her eyes glowed gold for a moment before she vanished into the air.

Merlin rushed forward, both needing and dreading the confirmation of his fears.

Balinor lay limp on the ground, eyes sightless, chest still. Making no attempt to conceal his sorrow, Merlin wept openly as he gently closed his father's eyes.

He stood slowly, resolution shining in his eyes; he would go to Camelot; find Kilgharrah; do what he had to do. And maybe, just maybe he would find out why.


	2. Rumours

**Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin or any of its characters or dialogue. They belong to the BBC.**

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><p><em>After all these years, the end is finally in sight. Nothing will keep me from claiming justice for my fallen sisters. As for this 'Kilgharrah', rest assured that whatever secrets poor Balinor thought he held, they will not be nearly enough to deter my wrath. Run little Dragon Lord. Run while you can. And rest assured that you will not be running for much longer.<em>

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><p>The atmosphere in the tavern did not exactly inspire an air of confidence. It was the sort of place where most of the drink was probably second hand and information flowed freely. It was the sort of place where a few coppers would easily get you a name, a location, a tankard of mead, and a knife in the gut.<p>

Merlin hugged the wall, praying that no one would notice him. He was quickly realising the flaws in his plan.

"Um... excuse me?" Merlin asked weakly, trying to draw the barman's attention. His voice was barely audible over the yelling of the tavern's patrons.

"What'll it be," yelled the barman over the din.

Merlin drew a deep breath; it was now or never. He shook a few coins from a small leather pouch and placed them on the bar. He then carefully replaced the pouch inside his jacket; he didn't like the idea of having too much money in the open, especially in a place like this.

"I was wondering if you knew anything about Kilgharrah," Merlin said, pushing the coins across the counter.

The barman grinned, displaying about seven teeth and a great deal of empty space. "Well, everyone's heard the stories, 'aven't they?"

"What stories?" Merlin asked, excited both by the prospect of finding Kilgharrah, and of having a reason to get out of there.

"King locked 'im up," the barman explained in a hushed voice. "Said 'e was too dangerous to keep free, but that he wanted to keep 'im as an example to anyone who thought that maybe magic was worth the risk of being found out. Now 'e rots in the lowest dungeon under the castle, a dungeon which has only one key."

"Who has it," asked Merlin, unaware of the small crowd that was gathering around them.

"The Prince keeps the key on 'im at all times, or so I've 'eard. No one's getting that dungeon open, you can bet your life on that."

Merlin felt a twang of dismay as he realised that that was exactly what he was about to do. Feigning cheerfulness, he pushed out his barstool and made to leave.

"Thanks, well I'll just be on my way-" Merlin's words were cut short by the unexpected appearance of a knife at his throat.

The man who stood in front of him was tall, rough, and thick in multiple senses of the word. The man to his right was slighter, and looked considerably more intelligent. That is to say, he looked as if he could at least form a coherent sentence.

"I would say your money or your life, but I've never been one for half measures," said Slight with a smirk. The rest of the group snickered.

"You wouldn't want to kill me," stammered Merlin. "Then you wouldn't be able to rob me the next time I was passing through."

Thick pressed the knife more firmly into Merlin's neck. Merlin looked around for the barman, only to see him contentedly counting the coins that Merlin had given him earlier. He seemed happy enough to let the scene play out.

"True," said Slight. "But who's to say you won't go and blow the whistle on us?"

"I won't, honest!" Merlin could feel the knife starting to cut off his air supply.

"Sorry," said Slight, "but I don't believe you. Now, if you would be so kind?"

Merlin acted without thinking, his magic lashing out at the the men and sending them flying backwards across the room. Some of them lay where they fell, groaning. The rest seemed only angered by this turn of events.

Merlin realised that he needed to do something, and fast.

"_Bencpel tófléon."_

He watched in amusement as a large group of his assailants were swept from their feet by one of the tavern benches.

"Sorcerer." The accusation rang around the room. "Somebody fetch the guards."

One of the rogues, a willowy fellow with dirty skin, grinned triumphantly at Merlin before ducking out the door.

The sounds of voices and running footsteps echoed from the street and Merlin decided that now might be a good time to make a run for it.

In a few seconds he was out the door and racing down the street.

"_Cume thoden."_

A miniature whirlwind appeared in the middle of the road, picking up dust and making it near impossible to see. By the time the air cleared Merlin was well out of reach within the forest that would lead him to Camelot.

Arthur Pendragon strode through the halls of Camelot, radiating the arrogance that for many people defined him. He was not particularly happy. There were two simple reasons for this:

He had just received word that a sorcerer had attacked a tavern in a town not far from Camelot.

He now had to deliver this news to his father, the King, who was not known for keeping his temper when magic was being discussed.

Bracing himself, he strode into the throne room.

"Arthur, you have the news from the surrounding towns?" The King rose to greet his son.

"Regrettably, there has been a sorcerer sighted in a town not far from Camelot," Arthur reported.

"A sorcerer?" Uther's voice was thunderous. "I thought we had finally seen the last of them. I want this sorcerer found. Spare no expense until he is safely locked within our dungeons."

Arthur bowed deeply. "Of course, Sire. It shall be done."

With that, Arthur turned and left.

Tracking down the sorcerer shouldn't be hard, not if he was being as careless with his magic as the reports claimed. Catching him could prove more difficult.

Arthur silently pondered which of his knights would be best suited to the task.

Down by the southern wall, one wanted sorcerer strolled casually through the gates of Camelot.

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><p><strong>Yes, I realise that Merlin's open use of magic is a little out of character. There are two reasons for this. 1. He grew up in an environment where everyone else either had magic or was his mother. 2. His using Magic to throw the men across the room was a genuine mistake, and after that he figured what was there to lose?<strong>


	3. The Dream

**Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin or any of its characters or dialogue. They belong to the BBC.**

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><p><em>No! You will pay for this, witch. You who has taken a Dragon Lord from this world. Rest assured that there is nothing that will keep me from burning you to a cinder the moment I am free...<em>

_He draws near; the last Dragon Lord. Beware, Nimueh, for even in my absence, he will be your doom._

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><p><em>Arthur stood with his back to her. In the distance, a violent storm approached.<em>

_Somehow, she sensed it was magic._

_The storm grew closer and Arthur was having trouble holding his ground._

_She heard an echoing voice from within the storm. The voice was as cold as ice, and a good deal crueller._

_"I want him to be as I was," said the voice; "alone."_

_Finally the wind was too much for Arthur and he was spun backwards, barely catching himself before he hit the ground. But as he turned, his face changed. Gone were the blonde hair, blue eyes and self righteous expression she come to expect. The boy looked up at her, his grey-blue eyes meeting hers._

Morgana woke with a start. She couldn't remember the last time she'd had a nightmare quite like that.

Shivering, she got up and put a robe over her night gown. Perhaps it was time to start taking her sleeping draughts again.

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><p>Merlin hovered outside the physician's chambers, contemplating whether or not to go in. He knew that Gaius had been a good friend to his parents and had helped them escape during the Great Purge. Nevertheless, Gaius still worked for the King.<p>

Making up his mind, Merlin pushed open the door.

The physician's chambers were standing room only. Those parts of the floor that were not covered with stacks of books were piled high with bottles and jars with colours and consistencies that ranged from clear liquids to thick grogs. They made Merlin queasy just looking at them. In one corner rested a leech tank, its glass caked with slime.

Gaius himself was pouring over an ancient volume with delicate diagrams of plants scattered across its faded pages.

Merlin cleared his throat. "Um.. Hello."

"May I help you?" Gaius inquired.

Merlin made a snap decision. "I was wondering if you could help me get a letter to my mother? Her name is Hunith."

Gaius moved to the door with a speed that Merlin had not thought the old man would posses. He closed it hurriedly.

"You're Hunith and Balinor's son?" Gaius exclaimed. "I thought you were in Cenrid's kingdom. What are you doing here? If the King found out-"

"My father is dead," Merlin explained, casting his eyes towards the floor. "Before he died he told me to come here."

He decided not to tell the old physician the rest of Balinor's instructions until he was sure he could be trusted.

"I'm sorry," said Gaius. "He was a good man, and a good friend..."

They were both silent for a moment.

"I assume it was you who caused all that commotion yesterday," said Gaius.

Merlin nodded.

"You need to be more careful with your magic," Gaius advised. "You need to be more careful in general. You should go back to Ealdor."

"I can't," said Merlin. "It would put my mother in danger. And besides, there's something I need to do here first."

Gaius pursed his lips, obviously not happy with the decision. "You can stay here, then," he offered.

Merlin shook his head. "I can't. It's too much to ask. Besides, I would be putting you in danger too."

"Exactly what kind of trouble are you in?" Gaius demanded.

"It's... complicated. Please, just help me get the letter to my mother," Merlin implored.

"Fine," Gaius agreed. "Give me the letter."

Merlin handed him an envelope with a barely legible address scrawled on the front.

"Thank you," said Merlin earnestly.

He turned and headed for the door. Before he could reach it, it opened and a woman with wavy dark hair and a confident expression strode in.

"Gaius, I was wondering-" she froze when she caught sight of Merlin.

"Ah, Lady Morgana," Gaius broke the silence. "This is Merlin. He's the son of a friend and this is his first time in Camelot. I thought I'd help him out until he's settled."

Morgana nodded. She was still staring at Merlin as if she'd seen a ghost.

"Is there anything you need?" Gaius asked This seemed to snap her back to reality.

"Yes," she said. "I was wondering if you had any of my sleeping draught?"

"Of course," said Gaius. He plucked a small bottle full of blue liquid from one of the shelves and handed it to her.

"Thank you," she said, smiling, before turning to leave the room.

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><p>It was him. <em>How could it be him?<em>

Morgana lay in her chambers, her sleeping draught untouched.

She had recognised the face as soon as she saw it, but what was the boy from her dream doing in Gaius's chambers?

She closed her eyes, pondering silently. Without noticing, she fell back into the dark recesses of sleep.

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><p><strong>Thanks to Evil. E. Evil and TheNightFury, my two reviewers. Your input means more to me than I can say, and to anyone else, you can thank them for the speedy update.<strong>


	4. The Break In

**Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin or any of its characters or dialogue. They belong to the BBC.**

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><p><em>Sorcery is spreading through this kingdom like a disease. I thought we had seen the last of it with the elimination of the Old Religion, but clearly its roots are buried deep. No matter; Arthur will soon have this new sorcerer in custody, and I will not hesitate to show the people of Camelot the punishment that will befall all those who practice magic. I will hold him up as an example, just as I did with the Great Dragon.<em>

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><p>Merlin was apprehensive. Growing up in the forest, he had never considered the fact that he may one day be breaking into what was possibly the most secure castle in the world. Still, he wanted to find Kilgharrah and leave Camelot as soon as possible, and this seemed like his best bet on getting that key.<p>

Merlin rounded a corner, and hastily ducked backwards as he spotted a pair of guards. Thankfully, they seemed to be too absorbed in their card game to notice the intruder.

Slowly, Merlin peeked around the corner. His eyes glowed gold and the deck slipped onto the stone floor. While the two seemingly incompetent guards were attempting to collect all the cards, Merlin slipped past them into the next corridor.

He wasn't actually entirely sure where he was going. He realised it was stupid to expect big signs saying: 'Prince's Chambers, This Way', but he had thought there would at least be some sort of indication. Instead, he found himself in a maze of seemingly identical hallways that all made his footsteps echo alarmingly; and which always seemed to end with yet another red, black and gold tapestry displaying the Pendragon Crest. Very soon he was hopelessly lost.

He peered around yet another corner. Two guards were heading right his way.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" one of them yelled.

Merlin spun around and darted back the way he had come in an attempt to lose his pursuers. He glanced over his shoulder and was surprised to see that there was only one guard following him. _Now why could that be?_

Suddenly, the cacophony of the city's warning bell echoed through the corridors.

Merlin could hear shouts now, as more guards arrived to join the chase. He did the only thing he could; he ran.

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><p>Arthur was woken with a start when the warning bell sounded. He was out of bed and dressed within seconds, and soon found a guard hurrying through one of the corridors.<p>

"What's going on?" Arthur asked the panting guard.

"There's an... intruder... in the castle... Sire," the guard panted.

Arthur made a mental note to train some better guards.

"Where was he last seen?" Arthur demanded.

"In the east wing," said the guard, who seemed to have finally caught his breath.

"Right," said Arthur. "Gather the guards. I want all the chambers in that part of the castle searched."

Arthur fought against the fatigue that came with his unexpected awakening as he ran through the corridors. He wanted to be wide awake when he searched the chambers. His determination was heightened by the fact that the east wing held Morgana's chambers, and he wanted to be sure that no harm came to her.

With a rising sense of panic for his almost-sister, he burst into her chambers.

Morgana was in bed, but was awakened quickly as the door slammed open.

"What do you think you're doing?" she demanded.

"There's an intruder in the castle. I wanted to make sure you were alright," Arthur explained.

"I was fine until I was woken up in the middle of the night by a rampaging Prince," Morgana quipped.

"I think I should search your room in case he has snuck in here," said Arthur.

"You don't think I would know if someone was in here?"

"But-"

"Look, I think I saw someone running near the stables," she said.

"But-"

"Get out!" Morgana yelled.

Quickly, the Prince complied. He would never admit it, but Morgana was a force to be reckoned with.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Arthur asked the small group of guards that had accompanied him. "Go search for the intruder."

The guards quickly dissipated and Arthur strode off towards the stables.

Inwardly, he cursed Morgana. _Why does she always have to be so touchy? I was only trying to make sure she was safe!_

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><p>The moment Arthur left, Morgana let out a deep breath.<p>

"You can come out now," she said to a cupboard in the corner of her room.

The cupboard shook a little, then the doors opened and the dark haired boy tumbled to the floor in an ungraceful heap.

"Thanks," he said. A puzzled expression crossed his face. "Why'd you do that?" He inclined his head towards the door.

"Why were you being chased across the castle by a bunch of inept guards?" she replied.

"Because the King couldn't be bothered to hire any half decent ones," the boy responded quickly.

Her expression clearly indicated that this was no time for jokes.

_She just couldn't figure him out. Who was he? What was he doing here? Why had he been in her dream before she had met him? And what did he have to do with Arthur?_

"Who are you?" she demanded.

"My name is Merlin. I'm... um... Elizabeth's brother!" the boy gabbled. "She works in the kitchens. I was just coming to visit her when the alarm bell sounded and I was frightened and-"

_Does he think I'm some sort of idiot?_

"Come off it. Who's Elizabeth? I've never -"

She was cut off when Arthur barged through the door once more. They both froze in horror.

"Morgana, I checked- Who's this?" Arthur gestured to the boy, Merlin, who was still standing in the middle of her carpet.

"He's Elizabeth's brother," Morgana recovered quickly. She didn't know who this 'Merlin' was, but she wasn't going to let him get arrested until she found out.

"Right, Elizabeth's brother, run and fetch my sword from my chambers," Arthur ordered. "You can bring it to the castle gates in five minutes."

"But-"

"Of course." Merlin made a quick bow and slipped from the room.

Arthur turned back to Morgana.

"Who's Elizabeth?" he asked, then cut himself off. "Never mind. I couldn't find the intruder in the stables, and the guards found no trace of him in the castle. Can you take the message to my father that I've gone to search the lower town?"

"Of course," Morgana replied cooly. "I don't have anything better to do at night than be your personal messenger service."

"Morgana, please-"

"Run along and catch your intruder. I'll see Uther gets the message."

"Thank you," Arthur said gratefully, and then he strode back into the corridor.

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><p><strong>I leave this chapter as a testament to how thick Arthur could be back in the first season. 'New knight called Valiant who nobody's ever heard of? No problem. New serving girl who wears alarmingly red lipstick and nobody seems to remember hiring? Nothing suspicious about that!' If he didn't have Merlin looking out for him...<strong>

**Well, Arthur will change... eventually.**


	5. Myror

**Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin or any of its characters or dialogue. They belong to the BBC.**

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><p><em>Why did I do that? Why on earth did I do that? A strange man waltzes into my room in the dead of night and I <em>hide him from the guards! _Have I gone mad... Although, I guess that would explain the strange dreams. But it wouldn't explain how I saw 'Merlin' in my dream _before _I met him. There's something strange going on and I intend to find out what._

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><p>This was the perfect oppertunity. Merlin couldn't have planned it better himself; he had simply found a guard, asked for directions and now he stood undisturbed in the Prince's chambers. The only problem was that the key was thus far being elusive. That was when Merlin spotted something that made his heart sink.<p>

On the desk, stark against the polished wood, lay an outline in the dust; a key shaped outline.

Two thoughts passed through his mind. First: _W__ho cleans this place? It's filthy!, _then: _Darn it! The Prince must have taken the keys with him._

Merlin pondered for a moment before deciding on a course of action; he clearly had to stay in Camelot, so he had to avoid arousing suspicion. His eyes fell on the sword that sat propped against the dark wood of the bedside table. There was a blanket strewn across the floor, half covering the weapon in crumpled fabric.

Careful not to tread on the blanket, which was probably worth more than he was, he pulled the sword from its resting place. With the sword held firmly in one hand, he jogged down to the castle gates.

"What took you so long?" Prince Arthur asked.

Merlin was bent over, panting from the run. As he looked up, he saw a ring of keys attached to the Prince's belt.

_There they are._

"Come along," the Prince ordered. "You can carry the torch."

Without any warning, he thrust the torch he was holding at Merlin. Merlin stumbled back a few steps, and then cautiously followed him as he made his way into the lower town.

Merlin tried not to draw attention to himself, and thankfully the Prince didn't seem much in the mood for conversation.

Suddenly, a shadow passed across the road. The Prince's eyes jumped to it, and he motioned for Merlin to follow as he crept behind the shrouded figure.

Soon, they were inside the storehouses of the city. The passage split into two and the Prince motioned for Merlin to put the torch into a bracket in the wall and then follow one passage, while he followed the other.

Merlin crept along in the semi-dark, wondering if now would be a good time to make his getaway. His thoughts were interrupted when a figure loomed in front of him. The man had dark skin and gleaming white teeth. Around his neck hung a blue stone tooth, and he held a knife in one hand.

"Somebody wants you dead, boy," the man said darkly.

Acting on instinct, Merlin let out a blast of magic at his assailant. The man seemed unfazed at the wave that would have sent any normal man flying. The man grinned.

"Protection," he explained, "from my employer." The man raised the knife.

Merlin decided now would be the right time to call for help.

"Sire," he yelled at the top of his lungs.

The clattering of footsteps echoed around the corridor and Prince Arthur rounded the bend. The Prince's eyes narrowed as he saw the man, and he drew his sword from its sheath.

The man's eyes flickered to the Prince and in a moment the knife was plunged into Arthur's right arm, forcing him to drop his sword. The man pulled the knife free and raised it for the killing blow.

Merlin saw the opportunity; while the man was focusing on Arthur he grabbed a rock from the stone floor and brought it down as hard as he could on the man's head.

The man crumpled to the floor.

The Prince fixed his gaze on Merlin.

_Come on, _Merlin thought_. __Lose consciousness so I can steal your keys and go._

Apparently, the Prince had other plans.

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><p>Uther was in the throne room, waiting for the patrols to return from the lower town with news of the intruder. He had been happily asleep when Morgana had burst into his chambers, announcing Arthur's departure. She had seemed strangely distracted, although she did a good job of hiding it. He wondered what she had on her mind.<p>

A few minutes later, Arthur strode into the throne room trailed by an uncomfortable looking dark-haired boy and a guard carrying the unconscious form of a man. Uther instantly recognised the man as Myror, a well known assassin. He quickly surveyed the party, and his eyes were drawn to the patch of blood on Arthur's sleeve.

"You caught the intruder?" Uther confirmed.

"Yes," Arthur replied. "We found him hiding in the storehouse."

"Well done," said Uther. "Now, go and see Gaius about that arm."

Arthur bowed and left, the dark haired boy following quickly behind him.

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><p>Merlin left the throne room as quickly as he could, eager to be out of the King's presence. It was no secret what the King would do to him if he were caught.<p>

"Well, Elizabeth's brother, you'd best be off to find your sister," the Prince said as they walked along the corridors.

"Yes, uh, she's always getting into trouble, I thought I'd come and keep her out of trouble for a while," Merlin replied awkwardly.

"So you'll be looking for work in the castle, then?" the Prince asked, oblivious to his companion's nervousness.

"Um, I suppose so," said Merlin.

"Good. You can be my new servant. My old one went missing last month and I need a replacement."

"Um, yes. Thank you, er, Sire," Merlin stuttered.

The Prince walked off in the direction of Gaius's chambers and Merlin headed out into the city.

This could be a golden opportunity, he realised, assuming he played his cards right. He'd just have to hope that the Prince never worked out that Elizabeth didn't exist. And that the Lady Morgana didn't give him away.

The keys were practically within his grasp.

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><p><strong>I'm sorry for the long wait. I've been travelling, and I couldn't find any internet over the last few days. Anyone reading 'The Dragon Lord's Son' might have noticed my absence from my beta-ing duty there, too. However, I'm back home now so there shouldn't be any more problems in delivering a daily update.<strong>

**This chapter is dedicated to 'Oceans Of Enceladus', a good friend who helped me significantly in writing this chapter.**

**Anyway, Merlin is inside the castle, and about to run into a whole heap of trouble. Including a very suspicious Morgana.**

**Imaginary cookies to whoever remembers where I found Myror.**


	6. A Good Night's Sleep

**Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin or any of its characters or dialogue. They belong to the BBC.**

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><p><em>I've been told I can be a little spontaneous at times. I don't deny it. When you're in the thick of battle it helps to be able to think on your feet. However, even I'll admit that hiring a new servant without any warning, or even knowing the man's name, could be considered rash. Regrettably, servants around here generally don't stick around for too long; they get frightened away by the frequent attacks and constant danger. And I've had a few who objected to the workload.<em>

_Wusses._

_Still, I need a servant. A Prince of Camelot always has to be well presented; to be calm, cool, and collected; to be the best at everything. You have to show that you're worthy every day, because a single mistake can lose you the people's respect forever. It's rather hard to do all that when you don't even know where half of your armour is. Thus the need for a good servant._

_Well let's just hope that Elizabeth's brother lives up to the expectations._

_Note to self: ask new manservant for his name._

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><p>Gaius was re-sorting his medicine bottles absent-mindedly. He hadn't been able to get to sleep, and the alarm bells hadn't helped. He had the sneaking suspicion that he knew <em>exactly <em>who had been creeping around the castle. He sincerely hoped that he was wrong; he did not want to see his friends' son killed.

Despite his wakeful state, Gaius was startled when there was a knock at the door, and the Prince strode in.

Arthur raised an eyebrow when he saw that the physician was already awake.

Gaius looked at him for a moment, trying to determine the reason for the late night visit. He assumed it was not merely a social call.

His eyes were immediately drawn to the patch of blood on Arthur's sleeve.

"Let me take a look at it, then," Gaius said, looking pointedly at the injury.

Arthur rolled up his sleeve obligingly.

The wound was nasty, but thankfully not infected.

"Do you mind if I ask how that happened," Gaius asked as he measured some disinfectant out of one of his many jars.

Arthur eyed the liquid nervously. It was thick, green, and had little yellow chunks. All in all, it looked moderately toxic.

"I got stabbed by the intruder," Arthur explained.

Gaius raised an eyebrow. He was really hoping that he was wrong. "Really?" he asked. "He must have been pretty handy with a knife."

"Yes," Arthur agreed, trying not to wince as Gaius smeared the questionable ointment over his wound. "Big fellow, dark skin. By the way my father looked at him I'd say he was a wanted criminal."

Gaius let out a sign. _Not Merlin, then._

"Nearly killed my new servant too," Arthur continued.

"New servant?" Gaius inquired.

"Yes," said Arthur. "I hired him just a couple of minutes ago. Tall, dark hair, enormous ears, a little bit thick but he seems nice enough."

_"Merlin," _Gaius blanched.

"Is that his name?" Arthur looked surprised. "Do you know him?"

"He's the son of a friend," Gaius dead-panned.

Arthur nodded. "And how's Elizabeth doing?"

"Elizabeth?" Gaius asked, puzzled.

"Merlin's sister," Arthur pressed.

"Oh yes." Gaius was completely lost. "She's fine."

Arthur seemed to accept this.

With one last tug, Gaius tied off the bandage.

Arthur rolled his shoulder, making sure his movement wasn't restricted, then smiled and bid the physician farewell.

As the Prince left, one thought rolled around in Gaius's mind.

_Merlin, I sincerely hope you know what you're doing._

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><p>As of yet, Merlin didn't have any place to stay during his stint as servant to the second most powerful man in Camelot. He considered staying in the tavern for the night, but didn't find the prospect particularly appealing.<p>

Eventually, he settled on a pile of straw behind someone's house; if you grew up in a forest, you could sleep just about anywhere. He just hoped that whoever owned the house wouldn't mind.

It felt like only moments after his eyes closed when he was woken by the sound of light laugher.

"You do realise there's a tavern practically right next door," said a pretty, female voice.

Merlin opened his eyes a crack and looked up to see a woman with caramel skin and a pleasant expression.

"Sorry," said Merlin. "Is this your straw? I'll move if you like."

The woman laughed again.

"No, it's alright. I just thought you might prefer a bed to our used straw. I'm Guinevere, by the way, but you can call me Gwen"

Merlin smiled. Out of all the people he had met in Camelot so far, she seemed the nicest. Or at least the least suspicious, with the possible exception of Prince Arthur. However, Merlin suspected that the Prince's lack of suspicion had more to do with his intelligence than his personality.

"So, Gwen," he said with a grin, "what are you doing up at this un-earthly hour?"

"Just on my way to work," she explained. "Most servants don't have to be at the castle this morning, but the personal servants are supposed to be there when the castle wakes up."

_Personal servants. That includes me._

Merlin jumped up. "You work in the castle?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm the Lady Morgana's maid," Gwen replied cheerfully.

"That's great. It looks like we'll be seeing more of each other." Merlin grinned cheekily at the guards as they passed through the castle gates. "The Prince is expecting me," he continued.

"Oh... Good luck!"

Gwen hurried off along one of the corridors, presumably towards Morgana's chambers.

Merlin couldn't help but like Gwen. Her kindness and easy going attitude seemed genuine, and he could picture himself being friends with her.

Assuming he stayed long enough to make friends.

He turned back to the corridor to face his next challenge: He had found the Prince's chambers once. Could he do it again?

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><p><strong>Yes, I realise that not much happens in this chapter, but I was planning to start up the next bit of the plot in the next chapter, and this is sort of setting up for that.<strong>


	7. Elizabeth

**Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin or any of its characters or dialogue. They belong to the BBC.**

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><p><em>I wouldn't admit it, but what happened back in those passages scared me more than I've ever been scared before. My magic didn't work. In my life, magic was the only thing I could ever count on. Except my parents... No. I can't think about what happened right now. My father wanted me to come here, so here I am and here I'll stay until I've completed the mission he set me. I can't let this get to me; someone will notice that something's wrong, and that's just one step closer to being caught. Besides, that man was arrested. He can't hurt me now, strange immunity to magic or no.<em>

_Kilgharrah, who are you? Why did my father send me to find you? In what way are you so important that Uther would take such lengths to keep you locked up?_

_Are you like me?_

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><p>Prince Arthur's bed was of a reasonably high standard. The mattress was soft, yet not so soft as to be uncomfortable; the headboard was made out of carved, polished wood that took hours to dust on a regular basis; the canopy was made of cloth of the very highest quality, decorated in the pattern of red and gold that was symbolic of the kingdom; and the sheets were always kept clean by a highly determined team of housekeepers. It was also situated directly opposite an east-facing window.<p>

Arthur groaned as a beam of sunlight assaulted his closed eyelids. This was the first time he had been forcibly woken up in several weeks. It would probably turn out to be the first time he wasn't late to training within that same timeframe; a fact that he should have been grateful for. Unfortunately, it is very hard to be anything other than annoyed, let alone grateful, at that time of morning.

Arthur was not a morning person.

Especially when he had been up half of the previous night.

Slowly, and wincing slightly against the bright sunlight, Arthur looked around. His eyes fell upon the figure standing next to the window. The boy was shifting from foot to foot slightly, as if he were nervous. Come to think of it, he had never seen a servant looking _more _nervous than this one did now.

_Let's give him something to be nervous about, shall we? What was his name again?_

"Ah, Merlin." _I think that's it. _"I want you to fetch me some breakfast. Nothing too fancy; just some bread, some cheese, a couple of sausages, and some grapes. And after that I want you to sharpen my sword; polish my armour; clean my clothes, you'll find all the dirty ones in that basket; and then meet me at the training field by nine, I'll be requiring your services as a training dummy. Oh, and I expect these chambers to be spotless by the time I get back."

The look on Merlin's face was priceless.

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><p><em>Is he insane? Is he actually insane... I guess it must run in the family.<em>

Merlin was frantically trying to get the dust out of the carved crevices of the Prince's bed frame. Behind him he could here the mild splashing of washing water and the _shlick shlick _of the sword sharpening itself. In comparison the armour, which was contentedly being rubbed by a seemingly self-sufficient rag, was completely silent.

Merlin looked out the window. He only had about twenty minutes left before he had to be down at the training grounds. Merlin hadn't thought that being a servant could be so tiring. He wondered how Gwen coped with it. Perhaps everyone in Camelot was just unnaturally fit.

Finally, he picked up the sharpened sword and gathered the armour into his arms. He could barely see where he was going, but at least he wouldn't have to make multiple trips.

As he left, he turned to face the wash bucket, which was still cleaning the Prince's clothes tirelessly. Merlin's eyes glowed gold and the shirt currently in the bucket rose into the air, rung itself out and draped itself over the back of a chair to dry. The cleaning supplies tidied themselves into one of the many dark wood cupboards.

Remarkably, Merlin made it all the way to the training ground mostly in one piece. That is to say, he only walked into a wall twice, and only tripped on one set of stairs. He was starting to view this as a major achievement.

Prince Arthur approached slowly, and Merlin proudly handed him the sharpened sword and polished armour. The surprise was clear on the Prince's face. He tried quickly to hide his shock.

"And you've cleaned my chambers as well?" he asked.

_He never expected me to actually finish it! That arrogant prat!_

"Good," continued the Prince. "Here. Take this shield and go stand over there." He pointed across the field.

"Why do I need to- Ow!"

"Wake up, Merlin," the Prince chastised.

Dozens of '_thwak'_s and several bruises later, the Prince announced that he was finished. As they made their way back into the castle, they passed a sobbing Gwen. Merlin turned to look after her, before dutifully following his master to the throne room.

They entered the council chambers and Merlin was momentarily stunned; they looked a lot bigger in the day time. Also, he had grown up in a forest and so was not used to elaborate architecture.

The Lady Morgana stood in the centre of the room, facing the throne.

"I don't see why we should allow your maid time off," the King was saying.

"Her father is ill and needs caring," Morgana replied beseechingly.

"Can't she care for her father on her own time?" Uther asked.

If looks could kill, Morgana would be charged with high treason.

"Alright," Uther conceded. "We'll have to hire you a replacement until such time as your regular maid is able to resume her duties."

"How about Elizabeth?" Arthur chimed in. "If the work ethic runs in the family..."

"I don't think-" Morgana began, glancing at Arthur.

"Excellent," said Uther. "Have her sent to your chambers this evening."

Morgana's gaze was now fixed on Merlin, and he shifted uncomfortably.

_Please don't give me away, _he begged silently.

"You may go," Uther dismissed, gesturing for Morgana to leave.

With one last glance at Merlin, Morgana strode out of the council chambers.

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><p>Morgana was understandably dubious about her temporary maidservant. After all, the girl wasn't supposed to exist. Therefore she was rather surprised when a knock came at her door.<p>

"Enter," she called.

In walked a pale woman with ebony dark hair coiled into a knot. Her head was bowed, but she looked up as she spoke. Her lips were painted an alarming shade of red and her eyes were almost unbelievably blue.

"My lady," the girl said. "My name is Elizabeth and I shall be your maidservant for as long as you should require my services."

Morgana froze; she had heard that voice before. She remembered well the words that voice had spoken in her dream.

_'I want him to be as I was; alone.'_

Morgana felt her blood freeze.

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><p><strong>I'm sorry that this update is a little late. I was visiting relatives and had my iPod touch as my only writing apparatus. I neglected to think that fanfiction . net would not accept chapter uploads in the iPod 'notes' format, thus the late update. However, the next chapter is already half written, and so should be up on time tomorrow... and I actually mean that this time.<strong>


	8. The Keys

**Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin or any of its characters or dialogue. They belong to the BBC.**

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><p><em>What is <em>she _doing here? I blink and suddenly people from my dreams are turning up left right and centre. 'Merlin' seemed harmless enough, although that doesn't explain why he was trying to break into the castle. Or why he was with Arthur this afternoon. But it's the other one that's got me worried. The one that _calls _herself Elizabeth. I know full well that 'Elizabeth' was a figment of Merlin's imagination designed to get him out of a tough spot. And I know whoever that is, it's not Elizabeth. Merlin may be a little suspicious, but there's nothing in him that comes even close to the cold I see in that woman's eyes._

_Perhaps Merlin can tell me something about this so-called sister. Either way, he has a lot of explaining to do._

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><p>Nimueh made her way down to the dungeons. It was the dead of night, and her way was lit only by a few flickering torches that half illuminated the passage and made the whole scene seem somewhat surreal.<p>

As she rounded the last corner, she came face to cloak with two guards; she couldn't have them seeing her face. Her position in the castle was one too good to give up.

_"Svelt," _she hissed and the two guards fell to the floor.

Nimueh ignored the bodies as she continued down the passage way. She came to a cell lined with iron bars and pulled back her hood.

"My Lady," Myror greeted her with a slight bow.

"You have not finished your job," Nimueh dead-panned.

Myror stayed silent; professionalism was very important when you were an assassin.

_"Tospringe," _Nimueh muttered. The cell door clicked open. "I fully expect you to complete your contract. Do we have an accord?"

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><p>Arthur was rather annoyed to be woken for the second time in a row by the warning bell. With an annoyed sigh, he tossed his blankets off, put on a shirt (he was starting to think that he should sleep fully clothed) and made his way down to the cells. He assumed that was where the problem was.<p>

Sure enough, he was greeted by the sight of an open cell door.

"Get the guards out, and close off the exits to the city," Arthur ordered. "I want him found before morning."

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><p>Merlin picked the straw from his hair. He had spent yet another night sleeping outside someone's house. He just kept praying that it wouldn't rain.<p>

He was also horribly aware that he was running late. He was rather surprised, therefore, to discover the Prince still asleep. Merlin was about to throw open the curtains supplying the arrogant Prince with another rude awakening (the brightest part of his day) when he spotted the Prince's belt draped across a chair. Hanging from it was a set of dull metal keys.

Merlin grinned, and picked up the keys as quietly as he could. He couldn't just put them in his pocket; that would be the first place to be searched. Also, it would result in him walking around sounding like Hogswatch had come early. Instead, he dropped them into the basket of dirty laundry and pulled a few garments over the top.

The Prince rolled over, and then slowly sat up.

"What time is it?" he asked groggily.

"Around ten," Merlin replied, trying not to look like he was hiding something.

"Why didn't you wake me?" the Prince demanded.

"I thought you could use your beauty sleep," Merlin answered.

Arthur threw a pillow at him.

"Why were you so tired, may I ask?"

"Prisoner escaped last night," the Prince muttered. "Was up half the night looking for him."

Merlin felt his stomach drop. "That prisoner you caught when we first met?"

"Yes. You're looking unusually pale. Perhaps you should go and see Gaius."

"No, no, that's fine," Merlin said hastily. "I'll just get started on your washing, shall I?"

"Hmm," said the Prince. "But first I want you to run down and fetch my breakfast, then head to the stables and- where are my keys?"

"They must have fallen off," Merlin supplied.

"No. Someone's taken them."

"Who could have taken them?" Merlin asked, trying his best to sound clueless.

The Prince turned to look at him. "Merlin," he said, "turn out your pockets."

"You don't honestly think that I-"

"Now, Merlin."

One after the other, Merlin flipped his pockets inside-out. The Prince let out a deep breath.

"Right. I want you to run down to the council chambers and report the theft. I'm going to redouble the efforts to recapture the prisoner. Chances are, that's how he got out."

Merlin nodded, and risked a glance at the basket which he knew concealed the keys before slipping out the door.

By this time of morning, the castle was already abuzz with life. Servants walked quickly, clearly performing some sort of task; while the members of the court strolled more leisurely. He himself walked with a purpose. His act as the good servant was not over yet.

Merlin had nearly reached the throne room when he was pulled off into a side passage. He had to fight his natural instinct to lash out with his magic at his assailant. If the past few days were anything to go by, it wouldn't do him much good anyway. In fact, it would most likely get him killed.

Instead, he looked around, and then down. Straight into the eyes of the Lady Morgana.

"You've got some explaining to do."

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><p><strong>So, Merlin is so close to achieving his goal, but both Nimueh and Myror are in the castle, and the Lady Morgana wants answers.<strong>

**How much should she find out? What do you say?**

**Imaginary cookies to anyone who spots the Pratchett reference.**


	9. Allies?

**Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin or any of its characters or dialogue. They belong to the BBC.**

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><p><em>I don't know what's going on. My father was healthy; he never gets sick. And I didn't like that woman who was lurking by the house. Those cold blue eyes! Like ice, trying to worm their way into your heart... I'm glad Gwen's come home. She'<em>_ll figure out what to do. She's good at this sort of thing._

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><p>"You've got some explaining to do."<p>

"I'm quite sure I don't know what you mean," Merlin sputtered. He was feeling decidedly nervous. Morgana clearly wasn't going to believe any tall tales he came up with.

"I know full well that you are not here to visit your sister Elizabeth," said Morgana. "What I want to know is what you _are _up to, what your so-called sister is up to, why you lied to me, and why you showed up in my dr- _chambers _that night."

Merlin got the distinct feeling that she had been about to say something else, but had caught herself just in time. He sighed; she hadn't left him many options. He was going to have to tell her the truth... Or part of it, anyway. He had the feeling that announcing his magic to the King's ward was one of the most effective ways to get himself killed.

"Alright," said Merlin. "First things first, there is no Elizabeth. I made her up." Morgana raised an eyebrow in what appeared to be genuine surprise. "Secondly, I came here looking for a friend of my father."

Morgana frowned. "If you were really looking for a friend of your father, then why lie to me when we first met, and why get a job as Arthur's manservant? I assume you have an ulterior motive. Anyone who didn't would probably have quit by now."

Merlin debated internally. _How can I convince her not to turn me in? I wonder why she hasn't already - why would she be giving me a chance? I really need to get her to trust me ..._

"Come on, you'd better start talking. You won't fool me, so make it quick and make it good," Morgana snapped.

Merlin shrugged.

"Fine," he said. "My father was killed by a sorceress called Nimueh." He closed his eyes for a moment, trying to fight back the pain the memory brought. "Before he died he told me to come here and find his friend Kilgharrah." Morgana's eyes widened slightly at the name. "That's why I'm here," Merlin continued. "I don't know why this friend is so important, but my father used his last breath to tell me to come. I need to find Kilgharrah, and in order to do that I need to stay in the castle."

It was only a half truth, and Morgana still seemed suspicious.

"What about Elizabeth?" she asked.

"Like I said, never existed."

"Then who's the woman who turned up in my chambers last night claiming to be your sister?" Morgana demanded.

Merlin's eyebrows knitted together. "I don't know," he replied honestly.

Morgana gripped his arm, and for a moment Merlin was just a little scared of the intimidating noble.

"Can you swear to me that you are not working with her?" Morgana's voice was uncharacteristically cold.

Merlin shook his head. "I don't know who this woman is, but I can honestly say that I came here alone." _Very alone._

Morgana nodded and released him, then strode off down the corridor. Merlin let out a deep breath, and prayed she was not on her way to turn him in.

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><p><em>Kilgharrah... Where have I heard that name before?<em>

Morgana strode purposefully through the castle. If there was any information to be found on the subject, then it was sure to be in the Royal Library.

Geoffrey of Monmouth looked up when she strode through the library's heavy wooden doors. His eyebrows went up further still when he recognised his irregular patron.

"My Lady," he greeted. "Are you looking for anything in particular?"

Morgana considered whether or not to tell him. It could arouse suspicion. On the other hand... She gazed out at the seemingly endless mountains of books.

"I was wondering if you had anything on Kilgharrah?" Morgana asked hopefully, trying hard not to sound too eager.

Geoffrey's eyebrows rose further still, if that was even possible. "You won't find anything in here. Uther ordered all of the books on magic destroyed at the start of the Great Purge."

"Magic?" Morgana asked. "Who is Kilgharrah?"

"Kilgharrah is the last of the dragons," Geoffrey explained. "But surely you would know that. The King made his victory over the beast well known."

"Oh, yes," said Morgana. "I remember now."

She did remember. She remembered well the countless occasions on which her guardian had bragged to her that he had brought down the last dragon and imprisoned it below the castle; but how could Kilgharrah be the 'man' Merlin had come to find?

She glanced out the window, looking for an answer in the landscape beyond the city. _What should I do? Should I turn Merlin in? If his father was friends with the Great Dragon he is probably up to no good. But he didn't seem to know that it was the Great Dragon he was looking for..._

"Thank you," Morgana said quickly before turning and leaving the library.

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><p>Arthur was not in a good mood. He had overslept, his keys were missing, and his servant was lagging behind like he had somewhere else to be. Merlin was also looking decidedly edgy.<p>

Arthur thought he recognised that look. It had been apparent on the servant's face whenever the escaped assassin was mentioned. Arthur's mind flashed back to the first night he had met the boy; Merlin's terrified yell and then the horror on his face as Myror held the knife, ready to strike. Arthur felt his heart soften a little; his servant was obviously scared senseless by the man who had nearly killed him, and who was now on the loose once more.

On an impulse, Arthur decided to do something he had never done before.

"Come here," he ordered.

Reluctantly, Merlin obeyed.

"I realise that this must be a very frightening situation for you," Arthur began. He wasn't really sure what to say; he'd never really tried to be nice to a servant before. Certainly not one as jumpy as Merlin appeared to be. "I just want you to know that you're surrounded by the best warriors that Camelot has to offer, and Myror _will _be caught." Arthur felt that this conversation was lacking something. Oh yeah... "You're really such a girl, Merlin. Just try to keep up, okay?"

"If I'm a girl then you're a... dollop head," Merlin replied with a shaky grin.

Arthur had a feeling that his attempt to reestablish superiority had somewhat failed. But at least Merlin was trying to joke around. Arthur felt sure he shouldn't be tolerating such irreverence from a servant, but what could he do? Merlin was annoyingly likeable.

"Dollop head?" Arthur asked. "Is that even a word?"

"Of course it is," Merlin exclaimed indigently. He glanced around the corridor again, as if looking for a way out.

"Look, Merlin," said Arthur. "Why don't you go back? Maybe Gaius needs some help cleaning his leech tank. I'm sure he'd let you stay until Myror is caught."

Merlin seemed relieved. He nodded quickly and headed off in the other direction.

Arthur shook his head and continued down the corridor. It wouldn't take long to check out this part of the castle. Myror must be somewhere close by.

"Arthur Pendragon." The voice was distinctly female. _Not _Myror, then.

Arthur spun to find a woman with her face hidden in the shadow of her hood. The only features he could make out were her crystal blue eyes. They shone with the light of youth, and with the wisdom of age. They were also chillingly cold.

"We meet at last. Your father has done me a great dis-service," the woman continued.

Despite the fabric obscuring her face, Arthur sensed her disdainful smile.

"Who-" he began.

The woman's eyes flashed gold and his world went black.

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><p><strong>So, this has been officially my longest chapter so far.<strong>


	10. Corridors

**Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin or any of its characters or dialogue. They belong to the** **BBC.**

**Previously, on 'Right Under the Royal Nose'. (I know I don't normally do these, but I thought it would be a good idea to get up to speed before the start of the chapter)**

**In simple terms, Nimueh killed Balinor because Balinor helped when Uther wiped out the priestesses of the Old Religion. Nimueh swore to kill Merlin for the same reason. Before Balinor died he told Merlin to come to Camelot to find Kilgharrah, who he conveniently forgot to mention was a dragon.**

**Morgana has a very weird dream.**

**Merlin turns up in Camelot and tries to steal Arthur's keys, only to be spotted by a couple of guards and chased across the castle before being rescued by Morgana. They were then interrupted by Arthur before Morgana could ask Merlin exactly what he was doing there, and Merlin and Arthur went searching for the intruder. They were cornered by an assassin called Myror, who had been hired by Nimueh to kill Merlin, but between them they managed to incapacitate him. Merlin also saved Arthur's life. Arthur offered him a job as his servant.**

**Merlin met Gwen and had a thoroughly un-enjoyable day realising how much of a prat Arthur was. Later that day, he passed Gwen in the halls, crying, and later discovered that it was because her father was taken ill. As a temporary replacement, Merlin's sister Elizabeth (read: Nimueh in disguise) stepped in as Morgana's maid.**

**Nimueh frees Myror.**

**Merlin is provided with the perfect opportunity to steal Arthur's keys, and takes it. In a panic that his keys have been stolen, and that there is an escaped prisoner on the loose, Arthur launches a castle-wide search.**

**Morgana corners Merlin and forces him to tell her why he's in Camelot. He withholds the fact that he has magic and is a Dragon Lord.**

**Morgana finds out that Kilgharrah is a dragon.**

**Arthur has a rare moment of kindness and sends Merlin to clean Gaius's leech tank until Myror is caught.**

**Arthur runs into Nimueh, without seeing who she is, and is knocked unconscious by a spell.**

**...**

**I've just realised how much has actually happened so far. Well, if I haven't already bored you to death, read on...**

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><p><em>Merlin's father knew a dragon. Merlin's father was <em>friends _with a dragon. Merlin is _looking _for _a dragon! _Does he even know what he's getting himself into? Do I even know what I'm getting myself into? Sure, he seems innocent enough, but _a dragon _for crying out loud! I've heard the stories..._

_This isn't some passing druid or stray sorcerer. This is more than just one person. This is about all of Camelot._

_I can't tell Uther. He'd go nuts and arrest every servant in the castle on suspicion of sorcery. But I have to tell someone._

_I'll tell Arthur. Merlin is his servant, and, judging by my dream, it has everything to do with him. He has the right to know._

* * *

><p>Merlin jingled the keys in his pocket happily, firm in the knowledge that he was close to accomplishing his goal.<p>

_'Merlin.'_

Merlin froze momentarily, trying to figure out where the voice was coming from. He shook his head and kept walking.

_'Merlin.' _The voice sounded slightly annoyed at being ignored.

_What is that? _Merlin thought to himself.

_'I am Kilgharrah.'_

Merlin nearly walked into one of the torches mounted on the wall.

_What? _Merlin thought, frantically trying to extinguish the patch of his sleeve that had caught on fire during his recent encounter with the torch. _Where are you?_

_'Listen, Merlin,' _the voice of Kilgharrah intoned in his head.

_I am listening, _Merlin thought back excitedly. _What can you tell me? I have so many questions-_

_'Not to me,' _Kilgharrah interrupted. _'To the world around you.'_

Merlin frowned, trying to pick out individual sounds in the lively castle. In the distance he heard a muffled "What-" and then a clatter. That was Arthur's voice.

_It's not your problem, _Merlin told himself_. Find Kilgharrah and get out of here. Don't worry about arrogant prats who would probably have you killed if they knew who you really were._

Still, Merlin kept remembering the last conversation he had shared with the Prince. He had heard the concern in Arthur's voice. It was completely unwarranted, but Merlin couldn't help feel that there might be more to the prat than met the eye.

"Dollop head," he muttered, and then started running back down the corridor.

Kilgharrah chuckled, as much as it was possible for a disembodied voice to chuckle. '_There's no escaping destiny.'_

* * *

><p>"Excuse me, have you seen Prince Arthur?"<p>

This was the fifth guard Morgana had asked, and she was just about ready to give up and wait until Arthur returned from his search. There seemed to be a suspicious number of strange people running loose in the castle.

"I believe he went that way," replied the guard with a dopey grin.

"Thank you," said Morgana, before walking off in the direction he had indicated. If his facial expression had been anything to go by, that guard wasn't exactly a reliable source; but it was all she had to go on.

Morgana stopped short when she heard the voices. There were two of them. The first was quite clearly Merlin, but she couldn't quite place the second one.

"How brave. The little servant come to defend his master."

Morgana peered around the corner. Arthur was lying on the floor, clearly unconscious. Merlin was standing with his back to her and across from him stood a woman with her face hidden by a hood. As if sensing her observer, the woman raised her gaze to meet Morgana's. Morgana froze.

_Elizabeth!_

"What do you want with Arthur?" Merlin asked.

"I have my reasons..." Elizabeth replied, her eyes shifting back to Merlin. "Don't think that means I've forgotten you, my dear Merlin. Just think of this as... killing two birds with one stone. _Vaki ierlt!"_

Elizabeth's eyes glowed gold and Morgana was knocked a few steps backwards, but Merlin, who had clearly been the target, seemed unaffected. Just as the spell had been about to hit, he had raised an arm and yelled "_Chistian" _and the magic seemed to part around him.

Morgana was frozen to the wall with shock. _'Elizabeth' has magic! _Merlin _has magic!_

"You've picked up a few of your father's tricks, I see." Despite the nature of her words, Elizabeth's tone never seemed to change. It was always calm, cold, and slightly superior. Morgana hated it.

"No matter," Elizabeth continued. She raised her arm to aim another spell.

"Guards," Merlin yelled. "Help!"

_What is he doing?_

The clattering of feet echoed down the corridor.

_I need to move, now!_

Morgana slipped back a few steps, hiding behind a conveniently placed suit of armour. She could still hear everything that was said.

Elizabeth swore, and said in an echoing voice, _"Bedyrne ús! Astýre ús þanonweard!"_

The guards rounded the corner.

"The assassin! He was here!" Merlin sounded convincingly distraught. "He snuck up on us and..."

Morgana peered around the corner again, and saw two guards carefully lifting the unconscious Prince. Elizabeth had vanished, and nobody was paying any attention to Merlin.

"Take him to the physician's chambers," said the guard that looked like he was in charge. That is to say, his uniform was slightly more ridiculous with a red feather stuck into his helmet.

The guards nodded and the entire party began moving in the other direction.


	11. Yarrow

**Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin or any of its characters or dialogue. They belong to the BBC.**

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><p><em>Good job, Merlin. Really well done. You had the keys, you'd practically found Kilgharrah, and you throw it all away to rescue some arrogant Prince who thought you were too weak to handle a simple assassin... Never mind that the last time you met said assassin you nearly came to a sticky end... Or that said arrogant Prince was actually making an attempt at being nice... <em>

_And Nimueh is here! I guess I couldn't leave Arthur at her mercy, prat though he is. Thank goodness she left without finishing us both off._

_That's not important right now. What's important is finding Kilgharrah again. With Nimueh and Myror on my trail, I need his help more than ever._

* * *

><p>Merlin sat on a pile of books in Gaius's chambers. The elderly physician had been less than pleased when a group of guards had shown up carrying an unconscious prince with Merlin in tow. He hadn't been able to express his concern, not with the guards there, but even now the guards had left Merlin could feel the disapproval coming off the old man in waves. If permeating emotions were facial expressions, this atmosphere would have one questioning eyebrow raised and a criticising glare that could have swayed the King himself. Merlin found it just a touch uncomfortable.<p>

Gaius was still pouring over his work, wrapping a clean white bandage where Arthur had hurt his head in the fall. It wasn't anything serious, but Merlin still couldn't help but be slightly concerned for the clot-pole.

_Hmmm... Clot-pole. I should remember that... Nah._

Just at that moment, Arthur's eyelids fluttered open.

"Arthur-" Merlin began.

"Arthur!"

Uther strode into the room, making a bee-line between the piles of books and medical supplies that littered the floor. He seemed to pay no attention to the dark-haired servant as he made his way to his son's side.

"Arthur, I heard what happened. Are you alright?" Concern rang in the King's every word.

"I'm fine," Arthur replied, sitting up. "Exactly what _did _happen?"

"To my understanding, you were attacked in the corridors by the escaped prisoner," Gaius explained. "Merlin here shouted for the guards and Myror ran off before they arrived."

Gaius threw Merlin a look that clearly said: _'and I expect you to tell me what _really _happened later.'_

Merlin nodded slightly, not knowing how much of the truth he wanted to tell.

"Just so long as you're safe," said Uther.

Arthur looked slightly embarrassed at his father's insinuation that he could not take care of himself.

"I want the guards doubled, tripled," Uther declared, not bothering to note that nobody present could actually carry out that order.

_Oh dear... What have I started, _Merlin thought.

Still, he had to admit that the amount of care Uther showed for his son was rather touching. He had never thought that the man who had driven magic from his kingdom could be so... human.

With that, Uther strode out of the room.

Gaius frowned. "I'm going to need some more Yarrow. I don't suppose you could run and fetch me some, Merlin."

_Yarrow... _Merlin tried to cast his mind back to the brief time his father had spent teaching him of the various plants of the forest. He had soon given up, realising that Merlin was more inclined towards incantations or instinctual spells than the use of herbs for magical purposes.

"Yarrow, that's the one with the purple flowers?" Merlin asked.

"Perhaps you had better stay here," said Gaius. _"Don't touch _anything!"

Gaius picked up a bag filled with little bottles and made his way to the door.

"So," said Arthur once Gaius had gone, "calling for help. I thought you were a girl before, but..."

"If I hadn't been there you would probably be dead," Merlin retorted.

"Why were you there?" Arthur asked. "I thought I told you to go help Gaius with his leech tank."

They both looked over to the glass tank. Green slime encrusted the walls.

"I thought perhaps you could use my help," Merlin shrugged.

"Merlin, I don't need help from my _servants._" Arthur emphasised the last word.

"Right. So you'll be polishing your own armour tomorrow?"

Arthur rolled his eyes. "No," he said, "you'll be doing that. You will also be washing my clothes, cleaning my chambers and mucking out my stables."

"Of course, Sire," said Merlin with a mock bow. _With magic._

* * *

><p>Morgana was ever so slightly in shock. <em>Merlin has magic! My new maid has magic! Is there anyone around here who is not using magic?<em>

She sank down onto her bed with a soft '_thwump_'.

The door creaked open and 'Elizabeth' walked in. Morgana was immediately on guard. She considered calling for the guards outside her chambers, but her desire to find out what was going on convinced her to wait and see what happened.

"Aren't you going to have me arrested?" 'Elizabeth' asked.

"Who are you?"

'Elizabeth' smiled slightly. "My name is Nimueh." Morgana caught her breath. "I believe we have a shared interest."

"I don't know what you might mean," said Morgana dryly. "All I know is that you killed the father of a friend of mine" _(okay, maybe 'friend' was stretching it a little) _"and you nearly killed Arthur."

"Merlin's father was not the only one to wrong me," said Nimueh coldly. "I have lost much at Uther's hands. As have you."

"Uther has only ever shown me kindness," Morgana said, clearly confused.

"And was it this kindness that kept him from sending the reinforcements he _knew _Gorlois needed?"

Morgana remained silent for a moment.

"I don't believe you," said Morgana softly. "Uther was my father's friend."

"Uther had blinded you to his true nature," said Nimueh. "Believe me, Uther was no friend to Gorlois, and he'll be no friend for you."

"Why are you telling me this?" she asked slowly.

"I believe that you and I could help each other greatly," said Nimueh. "You can be my ally, or my enemy. It's your choice. Just know that I will not rest until I have justice for my fallen sisters."

"I... I don't know," Morgana stuttered. "If what you've said is true... How do I know that you're telling me the truth?"

"Think about it, Morgana."

The door creaked open again, and then shut leaving Morgana alone once more.

_What do I do?_


	12. Not Dead Yet

****Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin or any of its characters or dialogue. They belong to the BBC.****

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><p><em>I don't like this. Camelot's security is too tight by half. If I didn't have my reputation on the line... I just need to finish the job and get out. How hard can it be to take out one handicapped sorcerer. A few more days, and I can be out of this dump and happily counting the new coins that line my pockets.<em>

* * *

><p>Gwen hovered worriedly above her father's bed. She had tried everything; even a potion she had begged from the court physician. Nothing worked.<p>

Tom groaned slightly, shifting in his sleep, and the damp cloth fell from his brow onto the pillow beside him. Gwen picked it up, frowning at how much of the water seemed to have evaporated. She placed a hand on Tom's forehead, her eyes crinkling in concern as she realised how hot he had become.

"Elyan," she called. "Can you watch him for a moment? I need to fetch more water."

Elyan hobbled in, still suffering from the ankle wound he had received during his last misadventure. With a nod, he settled himself in the chair next to their father's bed. The situation seemed far too dire to be expressed in mere words.

Gwen hurried through the market place, a bucket trailing from her hands. She wanted to be home as soon as possible. The seconds that the pump took to siphon water seemed to drag into hours. Finally, Gwen picked up her now much heavier bucket and set off in the direction she had come.

There was a startled yelp as she ran headfirst into someone, spilling nearly her entire load down the front of his shirt.

"I'm so sorry," she appologised hurriedly, looking up to see a rather drenched Merlin.

"No, no," Merlin said. "It wasn't your fault. Here, let me help you." He plucked the bucket from her hands and jogged back to the pump.

"I'd better be going," he said as he handed the bucket back to her.

"No, wait," said Gwen, catching his arm. "Come back and dry off. It's the least I can do."

"That's very kind of you," said Merlin with a grin.

Gwen tried to protest when Merlin took back the bucket, but he was adamant that he should carry it.

"What are you doing in the lower town anyway," Gwen asked casually, not slowing her pace.

"Arthur's armor needs polishing, and the storerooms ran out," Merlin replied. "I heard that there was a shop around here that sold some."

Gwen nodded. "Finnigan's, down by the market."

Merlin smiled gratefully, opening the door to her house so that she could step through.

"How's your father," Merlin asked softly.

Gwen motioned for him to place the bucket on the table, then proceeded to soak a rag in its contents.

"Not much better," she replied. "He's still running a fever. Nothing we do seems to make any difference. " She walked across to her father's room, easing the door open and stepping inside. "Elyan, do you think you could find a towel for Merlin?"

Elyan glanced at the door, realising that Gwen had not returned alone. He stood up and limped out of the room.

Gwen squeezed out the cloth one last time before draping it on her father's forehead.

"Thanks for everything," said Merlin, sticking his head through the doorway. "I-"

He cut off abruptly, his face turning pale as he caught sight of Tom. He ducked out of the room and Gwen heard a scuffling sound coming through the door. Merlin returned a few moments later with a few sprigs of lavender from her window box and a variety of spices from her cupboard. He walked straight over to Tom and smeared a few of the spiced across the rag on his forehead, pausing to let them soak in. He then squeezed a few drops of moisture from the lavender and added it to the mix.

"It's an old family remedy," he explained. "My mother used to use it whenever I had a fever as a child."

Gwen looked at him oddly, and Merlin averted his gaze.

"I had better go," he said abruptly. "Arthur's armor isn't going to polish itself."

He departed quickly, leaving Gwen staring at the spot he had been standing. Out of the corner of her eye, she thought she saw the cloth on her father's head glow a dull gold, but when she turned to look it had returned to normal. Just a trick of the light.

"Who was he?" Elyan asked, appearing in the doorway.

"Just a guy from work."

* * *

><p>Morgana sat in her chambers for several hours before finally forcing herself to move. Quite frankly, she wasn't entirely sure what was going on. Uther had been like a father to her, and yet when Gorlois, her true father, had been in trouble, where had Uther been? Morgana needed answers more than anything, and in order to do that, she had to be prepared to listen. She had to hear this Nimueh woman out.<p>

As soon as her decision was made, a pathway seemed to light up in her mind. A golden path shimmered on the floor of her chambers, hugging the threads of her silken rug, leading through the door and into the corridor. She followed the trail, looking left and right to see how the guards would react to this latest phenomenon. Surprisingly, none of them batted an eyelid, even as the trail blazed between their feet. Confused, Morgana continued to follow the pathway as it led her out of the castle.

The guards at the city gates bowed to her slightly as she passed, and she paused. Was it really wise to follow a magical trail, for she could only assume that it was magical, away from her home and everything that kept her safe? She huffed, dismissing the thought. She was more than capable of taking care of any potential threat.

After Morgana had been walking for about fifteen minutes, the trail led her to a clearing with a stone basin in the center. It was round and intricately carved, it's base seeming to melt into the ground in a tangle of tree roots. It held a small pool of water. As Morgana gazed into its depths, a series of images seemed to flash across the surface: A burning house, a crying child, a roaring dragon. She stepped back abruptly, turning her head away.

Morgana's eyes fell instead upon Nimueh, now clad in a blood red dress with her hair twisting over her shoulders. Nimueh smirked, and her cold eyes gleamed in the light that filtered through the trees.

"I thought I'd be seeing you here," she said confidently.

Morgana carefully composed her features into their usual, regal expression. "I want you to tell me all you know about my father's death."

Nimueh smiled again. "Why tell when you can show?"

Nimueh took Morgana's hand and led her over to the basin.

_"Diegol cnytte, gewitte me yst, pa tacnian me yst bonne ieceb sicle. Diegol cnytte, gewitte me yst, pa tacnian me yst bonne ieceb sicle. Swilte ar ond calan, draedan mordor to Gorlois de morte he cymb. Diegol cnytte, gewitte me yst, aliese hine to Gorlois de morte he cymb."_

A picture appeared on the surface of the water.

_Morgana's father, Gorlois, appeared, quickly scrawling a letter. Peering closer, Morgana realised that the letter contained a request for reinforcements._

_She saw Gorlois standing on a hill, a platoon of soldiers at his back, a small army making its way to their position from the front. A horseman clad in the Pendragon colours rode up beside him._

_"No sign of the troops from Camelot," he reported._

_The army was upon them now, and it was clear that Gorlois and his men were severely outnumbered. Still, Gorlois sliced his way through the enemy ranks, his sword flashing brilliantly in the sunlight and the blood of his enemies smearing his already bright red cape to the point that you could barely make out the Pendragon crest embroidered in gold on his shoulder. Inevitably, though, the force of numbers was too much for him and Morgana watched as a sword slid between his ribs. She couldn't even tell which of the enemy had delivered the killing blow. Whoever it had been had already moved on to take care of the last of Gorlois's men._

Morgana staggered backwards, throwing her head back in an attempt to halt the flow of tears that was trickling down her face.

_No more tears, _she thought. _You're stronger than this._

"You see now," said Nimueh. "Uther has stolen much from both of us."

Morgana remained silent, too consumed by grief to speak.

"I've finally come close to righting the wrongs done to me. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. There are only two targets left. Join me, and we can make Uther suffer as we have."

'_I want him to be as I was: alone.'_

_Arthur._

_Nimueh wanted to hurt Arthur._

* * *

><p><strong>Hello all. I'm not dead, but this story very nearly was. If anyone is still reading, which I hope is the case, then know that at least I know where I'm going with this now. Sort of. Any opinions would still be well received.<strong>

**I hope that the last scene helped to make things a bit clearer, such as Nimueh's ambiguous intentions.**

**I can't say how regularly this will be updated, seeing as it has to fit around my school work, my sporting commitments, and my beta-ing work. Still, this story is not dead yet.**


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